Mara Salvatrucha, commonly known as MS-13, is one of the most notorious and violent criminal organizations in the world. Its origins trace back to the turbulent socio-political landscape of Central America, particularly El Salvador, and its evolution reflects a complex interplay of war, migration, poverty, and systemic neglect. This blog explores the history of MS-13, from its humble beginnings in the streets of Los Angeles to its transformation into a transnational criminal enterprise.
The story of Mara Salvatrucha begins in the late 1970s and early 1980s, during El Salvador’s brutal civil war (1979–1992). 
The conflict between the Salvadoran government and leftist guerrillas displaced hundreds of thousands of people, many of whom fled to the United States seeking safety. A significant number of these refugees settled in Los Angeles, California, particularly in the Pico-Union and Westlake neighborhoods, areas already marked by poverty and gang activity.
Young Salvadoran immigrants, often traumatized by war and struggling to adapt to a new country, faced hostility from existing Mexican-American and African-American gangs. In response, they formed their own groups for protection. One such group was Mara Salvatrucha, founded in the early 1980s. The name “Mara” is derived from a Central American term for a gang or community, while “Salvatrucha” is a combination of “Salva” (short for Salvadoran) and “trucha,” a slang term meaning “alert” or “street-smart.” Initially, MS-13 was less a criminal enterprise and more a loose-knit group of teenagers seeking camaraderie and defense against rival gangs.
The early members of MS-13 were heavily influenced by the heavy metal and punk subcultures of the time, adopting a rebellious identity that included tattoos, graffiti, and a distinct style. However, their activities soon escalated from petty crime to more serious offenses, including drug dealing and extortion, as they competed for turf in Los Angeles.
By the late 1980s and early 1990s, MS-13 began to solidify its structure and expand its criminal activities. The gang adopted a more hierarchical organization, with “cliques” or local chapters operating under a broader umbrella. These cliques, such as Normandie Locos and Fulton Locos, allowed MS-13 to spread across Los Angeles and beyond. The gang’s reputation for extreme violence, including machete attacks and retaliatory killings, helped it carve out a niche in the competitive gang landscape.
A pivotal moment in MS-13’s history came in the 1990s, when U.S. immigration policies began targeting gang members for deportation.
Following the passage of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, thousands of Salvadoran immigrants, including many MS-13 members, were deported to El Salvador. Many of these deportees had spent their formative years in the U.S. and had little connection to their homeland. In El Salvador, they faced poverty, weak governance, and a society still reeling from the civil war. These conditions created a fertile ground for MS-13 to take root and grow.
Expansion in Central America
In El Salvador, deported MS-13 members brought with them the gang culture, tactics, and connections they had developed in the U.S. The gang quickly spread to other Central American countries, including Honduras and Guatemala, where similar conditions—poverty, corruption, and weak institutions—allowed it to thrive. MS-13 established a stronghold in the region, engaging in extortion, drug trafficking, and human smuggling. The gang’s signature brutality, including public displays of violence, became a tool to instill fear and maintain control over communities.
During this period, MS-13 also developed its distinctive iconography, including elaborate tattoos featuring skulls, devils, and the number 13 (a nod to the letter “M,” the 13th letter of the alphabet). These tattoos served as a mark of loyalty and a warning to rivals. The gang’s structure became more sophisticated, with leaders (known as “shotcallers”) coordinating activities across cliques and even across borders.
By the 2000s, MS-13 had evolved into a transnational criminal organization with a presence in the United States, Central America, Mexico, and even parts of Europe and Canada. Its decentralized structure, with autonomous cliques operating under a shared identity, made it difficult for law enforcement to dismantle. The gang’s activities diversified to include large-scale drug trafficking, arms smuggling, and human trafficking, often in collaboration with Mexican cartels like the Sinaloa Cartel.
In the U.S., MS-13 gained national attention due to high-profile acts of violence, such as the 2017 murders of four young men in Long Island, New York. 
These incidents fueled public fear and prompted aggressive crackdowns by law enforcement, particularly under the Trump administration, which labeled MS-13 a top national security threat. The gang’s notoriety was further amplified by political rhetoric, though some critics argued this exaggerated the group’s overall influence compared to larger cartels.
In Central America, MS-13’s dominance has been challenged by government crackdowns, particularly in El Salvador. Under President Nayib Bukele, El Salvador launched a sweeping anti-gang campaign in 2022, arresting tens of thousands of suspected gang members, including many from MS-13. While these efforts have reduced gang-related violence in the short term, they have also raised concerns about human rights abuses and the potential for gang members to reorganize in prisons.
As of 2025, MS-13 remains a significant challenge for law enforcement and communities across the Americas. The gang is estimated to have tens of thousands of members worldwide, with a strong presence in El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, and parts of the U.S. Its ability to adapt to changing circumstances, from crackdowns to shifts in the drug trade, has ensured its survival.
MS-13’s legacy is one of resilience and reinvention, born from the struggles of displaced youth and shaped by decades of violence, deportation, and socio-economic neglect. While its influence has been curtailed in some areas, the conditions that gave rise to the gang—poverty, inequality, and weak governance—persist, ensuring that MS-13 remains a formidable force.